Sharks head to Chicago early with dads; scoring change negates assist record

Standard practice would have had the Sharks practicing today, then flying to Chicago tomorrow. But, as most of you know, this is the fathers’ trip and the decision was made to extend it on each end — flying to Chicago one day early, staying overnight in Nashville after Monday’s game.

The majority of the 18 dads (plus, in two cases, brothers of players) are meeting the team in Chicago, but there were eight relatives on the chartered plane when it left San Jose, mostly Western Canadians. I needed to talk with a couple for a story running in Saturday’s print edition, so I headed to the jet center this morning and was able to connect with Brad Lukowich’s father, Bernie, and Jody Shelley’s dad, Ned.

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Anyway, this is something the Sharks have done only once before, the infamous trip in late December 2006 when Phoenix embarrassed the Sharks 8-0 and GM Doug Wilson gave players an earful in the team bus on the tarmac while the dads were on the plane waiting and watching. San Jose went out and beat Dallas the next night, 4-2.

For a lot of the dads — Bernie Lukowich and Ned Shelley included — this is a first as the practice isn’t that widespread around the NHL. Detroit has done something similar for the past three seasons, and since coaches’ dads are also invited, it’s the fourth consecutive year Bill McLellan gets to travel with his son, Todd.

Anyway, more on all that in the print edition.

But if you’re wondering why there aren’t any injury updates or other news from practice, that’s the explanation.

*********Looks like the Sharks didn’t set a new record for total assists by defensemen in one game in their 6-1 romp over Calgary. There was a scoring change on the game’s first goal (Pavelski) that added an assist to Ryane Clowe and took one away from Christian Ehrhoff. That meant the Sharks d-men finished with eight assists, tying the franchise record instead of breaking it.

David Pollak

David Pollak has been following the NHL forever and at the Mercury News as an editor or reporter since 1987. For almost a decade he wrote about the Sharks as the paper's Fan in the Stands before joining the sports department in 2001. He became the Sharks beat writer before the 2007-08 season and began this blog at that time. You can also follow him on Twitter at @PollakOnSharks.

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I THINK ITS A NICE LITTLE EVENT THAT WILL DEVELOP INTO A GOOD LONG-STANDING TRADITION. GO SHARKS!!!!

Pucked

Sharks are preparing for the return of the Soup.

JTE

Bill McLellan’s on his fourth trip with Todd? Coulda fooled Kate Longworth, who asked Bill if he was enjoying being able to be with his son now that he’s retired from the RCMP. Bill politely told here he’s been retired for 12 or 13 years and been a scout for Medicine Hat.

That Longworth, what a pro!

goaliepuke

JTE, are you really surprised that the new stock of journalists and media pros don’t do or think they don’t have to do their homework?

Stevo

Be easy on the eyes and ears, read flawlessly from the teleprompter. That’s all it takes to be an on-air personality… or a successful Presidential candidate.

jlsj, please turn off the caps. Thanks.

SCSharksFan

Stevo – I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO SAY THAT! 😉

Stevo

SCSF,

Thanks for the kind words. It’s walking the thin line here to go “pol”, so you are braver than I for agreeing with me!

Stevo

Or, were you thanking me for the ‘turn off the caps’ request!

HA!

hockey Rob

…If you do not know who Malkin is, you have no business being a hockey reporter. I am sure that their are other as equally hot woman (if that is one of criteria) that could do a much better job.

hockey Rob

There for their…looks like I have not business being part of a blog as well, lol.

BC

She’s easier on the eyes than John Shrader, at least, even if she’s not a heck of a lot smarter.

y

Hey, there was a leak of the new Sharks “jersey” on Yahoo sports. Hope y’all didn’t shell out big bucks yet,,,,

Melrose just got fire. Poor guy left ESPN for the NHL thinkin he will be their for atleast 3yrs now he has no job.

goaliepuke

Well, it’s only a leak, and hoping it’s bad info. I’d like the crest to be the “coat of arms.”

That said, I don’t mind the design of the “leaked” version. I actually like it better than the current H/A unis’. It’s the stripes on the bottom that I don’t like. The leaked version has the shoelace ties on the collar. That is nice “old style” touch.

goaliepuke

#13, that’s old news bud….

Actionman408

it was old news. Been workin long hours leatly.

SacramentoBen

For those of you who hate Kate Longworth…..

My district manager at my job has ZERO EXPERIENCE in my field of work…..It makes me mad that he makes about four times as much as I do, yet knows nothing about what we do. I guess my point is that every profession probably has a Kate Longworth……at least Kate has a nice smile and seems like a decent human. My district manager never smiles and probably kicks puppies.

jcast408

I don’t see Kate that easy on the eyes. When I see her and her messy hair all I can see is cannibal teeth. I am serious all the upper teeth are pointy.

I am glad the teams has a father’s trip but I htink they should include an trip for the mothers. Seriously who drove those boys to more games and washed more unis.

y

OMG, I can’t believe you are all disecting Longshanks like a biology class frog. She’s new, she’s halfway hot, and she may not be up to speed yet on hockey, but she will get better (ala McSorley did). Also, she’s way better (looking and sounding) than Schrader was hands down any day of the week…can we leave this alone now?

y

P.S. I like the JBF’ed hair style,,,,

Nick_g

McSorely got better? He was always poor in my book.

jon

any idea what mcsorely is up to now?

jcast408

You know I would be interested on how Lukowich father feels about the NHL now. That would be interesting. Like hearing one of those, in my day we walked 50 miles in the snow stories.

Shrkfinatic

Hey! I walked uphill in the snow both ways for school. At least that’s what I tell my daughter! We laugh, cause I did walk in the snow, but it was an easy half block hill on the 3 block walk to school. Of course, dad had all of us out shoveling said hill before school!

I can’t remember which team it was, but one did have a mom’s trip. They came here on the trip, apparently it was quite the hoot.

Stevo

Y,

Longshanks?? I’m surprised you did use Shlongworth.

Stevo

errata… “surprised you DIDN’T use”

bear none

Any word if Mitchell went along with the team on this trip? There were statements that Grier, Cheechoo, and Nabokov will be going.

bear none

Re Kate: it appears they are “TRYING” to make her more appealing visually by getting rid of the fly away hair look but it will take more.
Her research team at comcast is obviously only doing half the research leading to stupid statements on the air. About hockey and the players she needs to learn the game more (watch the show she’s doing and maybe she’ll learn something from Randy and Drew)
Sorry so long. Had to get the last part off my chest.

mdgolf

Just to weigh in in Bongworth….While I think she’s awful as well, that gaffe with McLellan’s dad was her producers fault and if I were her would have given that person a friggin earful later in the evening. Having been in a producer role for ESPN and an ABC affiliate in a past life I can assure you the post production meeting was not a happy one. Of course her being so inept to begin with it made it that much worse. Kudos to Todd’s dad for handling it with class and decorum

If she and Reiss had half a brain they would be taking Randy, Drew, Ricci, Marchment, etc to breakfast, lunch or dinners and asking a lot of questions about the game of hockey.

Suggestion to producers about in-game interviews on the bench and with coaches between periods…don’t do them unless there is a compelling reason and there is a specific issue that is the focal point. Otherwise I think we all agree they’re awkward and pointless.

Just my 2 cents.

y

#25 Stevo…..LMAO! You rock!

y

mdgolf.. your 2 cents counts. I think the reserch has to be taken a little more seriously by the Comcast producers, otherwise they are setting Longshanks up for inevitable failure.
NESN has a great thing going with not 1, but 2 women in thier telecast that are very sharp, and educated. Different market perhaps, but maybe the Sharks think the SJ “fans” won’t notice, wereas if Longshanks were in Boston, she would have already been fired.
I think she’ll do OK here. I suppose since the Sharks are doing so well, we have to complain about something…..
I say long live Longshanks….for now.

WI JW

You guys (presumably) got to be kiddin’, with your commentary hitting home at the heart of key Sharks hockey issues. The Sharks are simply following the “sideline blond” TV sports broadcasting trend, catering to the knowledgeable female members of the TV audience. But, then, I guess you are all good looking, bright guys, comfortable in front of the TV camera.

Stevo

#18 jcast408,

“Cannibal teeth”, that’s a good one. However it worries me a little bit that your mind went in that descriptive direction… he,he.

I think that the Sharks and Shlongworth’s production company’s staff are missing the boat. She covers the Sharks and her teeth look like….. that’s right!

Stevo

Kate could pose for some toothy pix with SJSharkie, they could sell the posters for charity, she could emcee their Halloween functions….the possibilities are endless.

Put her hair in a “dorsal fin-hawk”. She’d probably love that.

Stevo

A little blue make up…..blue outfit… yeah, that’s the ticket.

Ronnie Sharky

I knew RW was holding this team back but I didn’t think by this much. I guess that’s a testament to the new coach because I don’t think just any other coach would have these guys at 14-3-1.

So, I guess the RW thing has been put to rest which to me was the Sharks maxed out with him 2 or 3 seasons ago. take your pick. no matter though, it’s worked out now with Mclellan.

Sharks are the best team in the world right now, it’s crazy.

WI JW

Well, let me stir the pot a little bit.

I’m from Plover WI and have been watching Joe Pavelski play for 15 years. He’s a great young man and has done unbelievably well for a kid who was a below average skater even on his high school team, which of course, he led to a state championship.

Anyway, I visited San Jose last week for the three game homestand, all victories.

Had a great time.

San Jose is nicer than Plover, WI.

Anyway, I am also a former Chicago Blackhawk season ticket holder. (I and 49 other No. 8 fans will be on the bus to Chicago tomorrow, a 4 hour ride.) If you think the Shark fans are “the greatest fans in the world”, then you’ve never been to an NHL stadium where fan pandemonium reigns. The Sharks scoreborad plea to the fans to “make noise” is pathetic. Really avid fans don’t need such encouragement to turn on such artificial intensity. JW

bear none

Ronnie

You also have to consider the other additions made this summer. I think Boyle has definitely added another level to this team.

I’m not saying coach wasn’t a factor. I think RW definitely held people back. I always thought it was like he had told Ehrhoff to miss intentionally to get the rebounds off the boards. He couldn’t have been that bad last year, could he?

goaliepuke

Actually, #36, that was part of the strategy. Ehrhoff was the guy that could hit the puck the hardest while none of the D could get the puck to the consistently to the net. There is a premium on blocking shots, over the last few seasons. The Sharks were really good at it.

So it’s chicken or the egg first. The Sharks D last season wasn’t or couldn’t be creative enough to find a lane to the net. Bouncing some shots off the back boards was the alternative method. RW or Defence? We can’t answer that for last season because half he D core has been replaced, and the new coach also preaches creativity.

jon

#37 I agree that san jose fans are new to hockey and most aren’t die hard…. You have to admit though it is pretty awesome to have a nice atmosphere at the games when there is so much to do in the Bay Area. In places like Plover, WI where there is nothing to do and it is a crappy place to be, the only thing to do other than rot away in your house is hockey.

Anyway, every stadium that I have ever been to including some of the greatest hockey cities all have signs that say “make some noise”… No, I wouldn’t consider Chicago what one the greatest hockey cities considering that past of little to no support regardless of the ownership.

goaliepuke

Woo, #s got messed up. in 39 I said #36. That turned into #38.

goaliepuke

WI JW, not sure you’ve been to a recent blackhawk game in the ‘new” arena when the place is full and yelling for the Hawks, but the place is still so quiet you can hear the coach talking to the players from the top row :-). The place is a sound vacuum.

The small buildings were better for fan involvement though. I remember being the Aud in Buffalo. When a fight broke out in the upper-stands, both teams and refs turned around and looked up to see the commotion.

Like Jon said, most of the arenas do this, cheerleading from the multi-million dollar hi-def video scoreboard, now-days.

WI JW

I can’t strongly disagree.

Last time we followed the Sharks to Chicago there were 5,000 fans in the stands, very sad by old Chicago Stadium standards. Now that was a happening place.

Might be some electricity between Hawks and Sharks tomorrow, though.

My wife and I are looking forward to our next trip to San Jose.

tadpole

I think it was a travesty to stop playing in the old Chicago Stadium. That place rocked.

At least Chicago still has Wrigley…

Been out doin’ stuff this weekend…must be really a low ebbing sports day with all the commentary on our female commentator. Of course, I don’t hear anyone speaking of Drew being eye candy or having sharks teeth…I guess he’s not as hot.

DK

Actionman408 #13:

Melrose will have to console himself with the 3 years of contract money he is getting for not coaching. He may be out of a job (for the time being) but he is not out of a paycheck.

Tano

Just to close on the bimbo blond by the sideline….
I’m with WI JW, it looks like the networks cannot do anything original, they all jump to the same stupid set up to gain audience points.

I’d rather have somebody knowledgeable in the sport asking spontaneous questions, versus relying on scripts that are wrong in the first place.
Don’t care if it is male or female, or if they look like the hunch back of Notre Dame (in France), but they have the brain and knowledge to say/ask something intelligent for the viewers.

There must be a good number of unemployed female ex hockey players to draw from. They can always learn the interviewing techniques, faster than they can learn about the sport.

Nuff said.

Ronnie Sharky

#38.

yah, the additions of Blake and Boyle have obviously been huge. DW has been consistently good over the years and I doubt they’d have 29 points right now without the new D-men.

The Sharks have always wanted to emulate the 80’s 49ers from top to bottom, and what, 17 years or so into the gig I think they finally have the pieces in place. Add water, watch grow.

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